Vintage Books

1937 Life Magazine compilation book: 461 ppm Lead on the pages (& 13 ppm Cadmium). 90 ppm Lead (& up) is unsafe for kids.

March 28, 2022April 3, 2022

Reading #1) on the leather of the book 60-second reading Lead (Pb): 375 +/- 10 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 18 +/- 2 ppm Mercury (Hg): non-detect Bromine (Br): 3 +/- 1 ppm Chromium (Cr): non-detect Arsenic (As): non-detect Vanadium (V): 18,300 +/- 400 ppm Manganese (Mn): 918 +/- 79 ppm Iron (Fe): 174 +/- 37 ppm…

1876 Book: Home Talk, Medical Common Sense (… Society, Love, Marriage, Parentage, Etc., Etc.): 1,478 ppm Lead & 18 ppm Cadmium & 133 ppm Mercury (in the cover)

February 14, 2022October 19, 2023

2 Comments

Published: February 14, 2022 — Monday In general, vintage and antique books will test positive for unsafe levels of heavy metals — and I do not consider them safe to have in a home with children present. (To see more books I have tested, click here). If you must keep antique books around your home…

1977 Walt Disney Winnie The Pooh & Tigger Too – read along book: 17 ppm Lead (safe by all standards.)

March 22, 2020March 22, 2020

2 Comments

Posted: Sunday, March 22, 2020 Introduction: Tamara Rubin is an independent advocate for consumer goods safety, and she is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children. She began testing consumer goods for toxicants in 2009 and was the parent-advocate responsible for finding Lead in the popular fidget spinner toys in 2017. She uses high-precision XRF testing (a…

1956 copy of Harry The Dirty Dog: 3,099 ppm Lead. 90 ppm (& up) is considered unsafe and illegal in modern books for kids.

March 1, 2020March 1, 2020

Tested area #1 Double page with train/ focus on green; 60 second test: Lead (Pb): 689 +/- 21 ppm Barium (Ba): 1,002 +/- 107 ppm Chromium (Cr): 77 +/- 48 ppm Bromine (Br): 6 +/- 3 ppm Zinc (Zn): 389 +/- 16 ppm Copper (Cu): 39 +/- 13 ppm Iron (Fe): 496 +/- 36…

Lead contaminated silver (+ Cadmium too) with Lead Safe Mama, February 27, 2020 (Video)

February 27, 2020February 28, 2020

2 Comments

Below is a Facebook Live video I made today. I have uploaded it to my YouTube channel. Please watch it and if you learn something or find it at all interesting and want to see more videos like this, please subscribe to the YouTube channel so that you will be alerted when I upload future…

“Christmas in February” with Lead Safe Mama, February 24, 2020 (Video)

February 24, 2020

Below is a Facebook Live video I made today. I have uploaded it to my YouTube channel. Please watch it and if you learn something or find it at all interesting and want to see more videos like this, please subscribe to the YouTube channel so that you will be alerted when I upload future…

Testing vintage books for Lead with Lead Safe Mama, February 24, 2020 (Video): Harry the Dirty Dog (1956)

February 24, 2020March 1, 2020

3 Comments

Below is a Facebook Live video I made today. I have uploaded it to my YouTube channel. Please watch it and if you learn something or find it at all interesting and want to see more videos like this, please subscribe to the YouTube channel so that you will be alerted when I upload future…

1961 P.D. Eastman’s “Go Dog Go?”: 131 ppm Lead + 11 ppm Arsenic! Are your kid’s books safe? Are they vintage?

January 30, 2020November 22, 2023

2 Comments

For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method…

Folks have been asking if Lead in vintage books is a real poisoning concern. Here’s my response.

January 30, 2020November 20, 2023

21 Comments

This is an ad-free article. To make a contribution to help us keep our most widely-read articles ad-free, click here. Thank you. For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of…

1960 P.D. Eastman’s “Are You My Mother?”: 58 ppm Lead + 971 ppm Antimony! Are your kid’s books safe? Are they vintage?

January 29, 2020January 29, 2020

8 Comments

Introduction (for those new to this website): Tamara Rubin is an independent advocate for consumer goods safety. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children. She began testing consumer goods for toxicants in 2009 and was the parent-advocate responsible for finding Lead in the popular fidget spinner toys in 2017. Tamara uses XRF testing (a scientific…

1960 Book Club Edition Dr. Seuss’ “One fish two fish red fish blue fish”: 97 ppm Lead. Are your kid’s books safe?

January 24, 2020November 22, 2023

4 Comments

For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method…

1984 “Storytime With Victoria Plum” Hardcover Book: 10 +/ 4 ppm Lead (safe by all standards!)

November 22, 2019January 24, 2020

When tested with an XRF instrument this hardcover children’s book (published in 1984) had the following readings: 1.) Reading on Exterior of Book Lead (Pb): 10 +/- 4 ppm Mercury (Hg): Negative / Non-Detect Cadmium (Cd): Negative / Non-Detect Arsenic (As): Negative / Non-Detect Antimony (Sb): Negative / Non-Detect Barium (Ba): 548 +/- 149 ppm…

1982 Victoria Plum – Victoria Gives a Flying Lesson – Hardcover Book: 24 ppm Lead (safe by all standards!)

November 21, 2019January 24, 2020

When tested with an XRF instrument this hardcover children’s book (published in 1982) had the following readings: 1.) Reading on Exterior of Book Lead (Pb): 20 +/- 4 ppm Mercury (Hg): Negative / Non-Detect Cadmium (Cd): Negative / Non-Detect Arsenic (As): Negative / Non-Detect Antimony (Sb): Negative / Non-Detect Zinc (Zn): 234 +/- 13 ppm …

1982 Victoria Plum – Victoria and the Sparkling Web – Hardcover Book: 16 ppm Lead (safe by all standards!)

November 21, 2019

When tested with an XRF instrument this hardcover children’s book (published in 1982) had the following readings: 1.) Reading on Exterior of Book Lead (Pb): 16 +/- 4 ppm Mercury (Hg): Negative / Non-Detect Cadmium (Cd): Negative / Non-Detect Arsenic (As): Negative / Non-Detect Antimony (Sb): Negative / Non-Detect Barium (Ba): 225 +/- 130 ppm…

1982 Victoria Plum – Victoria and the Prickly Hedgehog – Hardcover Book: 18 ppm Lead (safe by all standards!)

November 21, 2019

When tested with an XRF instrument this hardcover children’s book (published in 1982) had the following readings: 1.) Reading 1 on Exterior of Book Lead (Pb): 15 +/- 4 ppm Mercury (Hg): Negative / Non-Detect Cadmium (Cd): Negative / Non-Detect Arsenic (As): Negative / Non-Detect Antimony (Sb): Negative / Non-Detect Barium (Ba): 240 +/- 124…

Hardcover 1946 children’s book – “Fun with Dick and Jane”: 1,045 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe for kids.]

November 10, 2019January 24, 2020

1 Comment

When tested with an XRF instrument, this 1946 hardcover edition of of “Fun with Dick and Jane” had the following readings: On the painted part of the cover (yellow area): Lead (Pb): 839 +/- 24 ppm Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect (negative) Cadmium (Cd): Non-Detect (negative) Arsenic (As): 76 +/- 17 ppm Antimony (Sb): Non-Detect (negative) Barium…

1924 Hardcover Book, “For The Children’s Hour”: 640 +/- 24 ppm Lead, Published by the Milton Bradley Company.

December 27, 2018December 27, 2018

“For The Children’s Hour”, Copyright 1906 (print date 1924) By Bradley Quality Books, Milton Bradley Company. Springfield, Massachusetts. The amount of Lead that is considered toxic in a newly manufactured item intended for use by children is anything 100 ppm Lead or higher in the substrate of the item or anything 90 ppm Lead or…

1916 Hardcover Book, “Robin Hood And His Merry Men”: 1,572 ppm Lead + 81 ppm Arsenic

December 25, 2018December 25, 2018

“Robin Hood & His Merry Men”, Copyright 1916 By Whitman Publishing Co. Racine, Wisconsin The amount of Lead that is considered toxic in a newly manufactured item intended for use by children is anything 100 ppm Lead or higher in the substrate of the item or anything 90 ppm Lead or higher in the paint…

1966 Hardcover Book, “It’s Wonderful To Be In Love”: 387 ppm Lead

November 4, 2018January 24, 2020

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1966 Book, “It’s Wonderful To Be In Love” by Rosalind Welcher. When tested with an XRF instrument this book had the following readings: Front Cover: Lead (Pb): 387 +/- 21 ppm Arsenic (As): 39 +/- 15 ppm Barium (Ba): 317 +/- 150 Chromium (Cr): 372 +/- 72 ppm Bromine (Br): 6 +/- 3 ppm Zinc…

#LeadFree: 1978 Copy of “Holly Hobbie’s Answer Book” Paperback

August 17, 2018January 24, 2020

1978 Copy of “Holly Hobbie’s Answer Book” Paperback Child’s Book Note: The XRF instrument tests down to single-digit ppm accuracy. Items intended for use by children are considered toxic and unsafe for children at 90 ppm lead or higher in the paint or coating or 100 ppm paint or coating in the substrate. A “negative”…

#Leaded; 1985 Princess of Power A Most Unpleasant Present Mini Comic Book

August 17, 2018

Tested with an XRF instrument this 1985 “Princess of Power A Most Unpleasant Present” Mini Comic Book was positive for the following elements at the following levels: Cover Lead (Pb): 105 +/- 18 ppm Chromium (Cr): 158 +/- 83 ppm Zinc (Zn): 66 +/- 19 ppm Copper (Cu): 105 +/- 35 ppm Nickel (Ni): 151…

#LeadSafe: 1985 Time Life The Enchanted World Water Spirits Hardcover Book

August 17, 2018January 24, 2020

1985 Time Life The Enchanted World Water Spirits Hardcover Book, all components of the book tested with an XRF. See full XRF readings below. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in a modern item made and intended for use by children is 90 ppm or higher in the paint or coating. All of…

#LeadSafe: 1981 Hardcover Children’s Book, Why Mosquitoes Buzz In People’s Ears

July 21, 2018

Many vintage books have lead in both the covers (in the dyes of the fabric or leather, the printing/ink and in any decorative paints used) and pages (in the ink). While the distinction of the word “vintage” changes as the years pass (“vintage” vs. “new”, vs. “antique”) please remember that 1981 (while it seems like…

#Leaded: 1963 Hardcover Printing of “Volume 14 of The American Heritage New Illustrated History Of The United States; The Roosevelt Era”

June 24, 2018January 24, 2020

2 Comments

Most vintage books have at least some amount of lead. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in a modern item manufactured and intended to be used by children is 90 ppm or higher in the coating (or paint) and 100 ppm (or higher) in the substrate. This 1963 printing of “The Roosevelt Era”…